A Forgotten Love
by cupcake42
Summary: There's more to Zoro than meets the eye. Not only is he a master at the 3 swords technique, but he used to love someone long ago. And while memories better off forgotten are brought back to his mind, a girl waits in the shadows, better than ever before.
1. He's Found

**Chapter One: He's found.**

"Nami," Luffy whined over his shoulder, "We've been at sea for so long. Can't we find an island to dock at or something?"

The beautiful ship _The Going Mary _had been making way on the blue sea for over six days now. Apparently, that was enough time to run out of food and supplies for the crew members. The sun bathed the tired pirates on deck in sweltering heat, rotting the half-eaten apple in Luffy's limp hand.

Nami, after tracing an imaginary line on her map with her finger, responded to Luffy with a huff. "No way. I have a course for a certain treasure-filled island, and we're going to reach it without delay, so stop your whining. And finish that apple before the seagulls get to it!" she added. A whiny sigh escaped from Luffy and the member next to him, Usopp. They draped their arms over the side of the ship next to each other in unison, scanning the horizon with their tired eyes, looking at everything, seeing nothing worthwhile. They both knew there was no point in arguing with Nami. She was a very determined thief, and she had already expressed interest in needing to reach this 'certain island' for a treasure that seemed to only be known to her. They all knew that after Nami put her heart into the treasure hunt, there was nothing anyone could do to convince her to give it up.

Suddenly, a loud yawn came from inside the ship's kitchen area. It was followed by a tired, yet booming, "Do we know where we are yet?" Zoro, the owner of the voice, walked toward the two collapsed pirates, his swords bumping against his leg, with the smell of cigarette smoke following close behind. Zoro collapsed under the small shade Luffy and Usopp were creating, knowing his question was going to be left unanswered. If anyone did say anything to respond, it would probably be a no.

"You shouldn't be walking around with your scars, Zoro." Usopp noticed the swordsman's battle scars from the 'sea bandits' that overstayed their forced welcome the other day. "They might open up again."

Zoro's narrowed eyes looked up at the speaker, and then he closed them. "My scars are fine," he said in his deep voice. "Hey, Sanji," he called, hearing the cook finally enter the open air. "What were you doing in--"

"HEY!! I FOUND THE ISLAND!!!"

All eyes looked in the yelp's direction. Luffy was standing upright despite his weakness, clinging his straw hat to his head with one hand, waving the other frantically at the island he found. He was practically going to fall over the edge with laughter, singing "I found the island!!!".

The island in question was way off in the distance, with a couple of very tall buildings. It looked like a very big island, but it definitely wasn't the 'certain treasure-filled' one. Which did not please you-know-who.

"We're low on food, we'd better dock there," Sanji announced, noticing its open docks. He spit his cigarette into the open sea, then turned back before it fell under the surface.

Nami, of course, was not keen on that idea. At all. "I am most definitely _not_ going to go all the way over there where there's probably nothing remotely like treasure at all!" she yelled, not noticing that Luffy was headed towards the steering wheel already.

"I don't care what kind of an island it is," Sanji interrupted. "We need to dock there if we have any hope of surviving." Nami was unfortunately not listening. She had already floated away inside to examine her beautiful, shining gold in the back.

Exasperated sighes were breathed from all around.

The boat suddenly jerked right towards Luffy's destination of choice. Luffy jumped from the wheel and stood proudly in front of a smiling Usopp, a sleeping Zoro, and a sighing Sanji.

"I should've never signed up for this." Sanji muttered, lighting a fresh cigarette.

*********

After a short while, _The Going Mary _docked at the island, and the passengers walked off the ship. Luffy bounded towards the steps leading from the harbor up to the town ahead. The rest of the crew slowly followed with less enthusiasm, especially Nami.

"So, Luffy?" Usopp started, noticing him standing like a victorious warrior on the steps. "Why are we here again? You know, besides to stock up on supplies and everything." The rest of the crew were wondering pretty much the same thing, looking around, curious and confused. It wasn't much of a place, with just a few long and empty docks, a short staircase, about three or four steps before it entered a small town.

Luffy, as an answer to Usopp, simply grinned. "This was the place were Red Haired Shanks gave me his hat to keep!"

"Oh, really now?" Zoro asked.

"Definitely! There's no mistaking it!" Luffy loved bringing that memory up whenever he could. It was so special, too special to lose. He stared into the distance, remembering.

_It was as if the hat bounced from his head to mine, I hardly saw it coming. I held the hat by the tips of my fingers, astounded. And angry. "Ah...wha...what are you doing?" I managed to sputter. "This hat is your life, it's been with you since forever, why are you giving it to me?" I was so confused about him, his logic made no sense to me. But it became clear soon enough. "Because I want you to give that hat back to me one day," he said, his smile never leaving his face. "I want it back in mint condition, you hear me?" I think I started to cry. He walked away to join the rest of his crew on the boat, his smile still wide._

They all smiled along with him, remembering the many times he explained the loving memory. Sanji had no idea what was going on. He just huffed and spit out his cigarette.

"Well, that's great and everything, but we really got to get stocked up, and preferably before the day ends!" Nami interrupted. She giggled half-heartedly, then just sighed.

* * * * * * * *

After a long time of getting the needed supplies onto _The_ _Going Mary_, the crew decided to stay the night at the local inn. They went into the bar where Luffy had a long, heartful talk with the bartender, the same woman who was the bartender all those long years ago. Usopp, Nami, Sanji and Zoro took a table nearby and had loads of food.

"They didn't cook the shrimp right," Sanji complained. "It tastes like they cooked it in salt water or something." He eyed the guilty shrimp on his fork with an evil eye.

"Oh, cheer up, Sanji!" Usopp groaned. "All you're doing is complaining!"

Zoro nodded in agreement. "You should be glad you're eating something." He eyed Nami. "Unlike mapper-girl over here."

Nami ignored the cruel remark and continued tracing her imaginary red line for a better course toward the 'certain treasure-filled island'. They all laughed, and Nami yelled at them to stop laughing. Of course it didn't help. And this all happened while Luffy was talking with the bartender about his journeys.

********

Two girls walked into the same bar, after having their tiny nutshell-sized boat docked at the harbor. They took a table in the corner nearest to the door and sat down.

"Here?" said the girl with short blonde hair, flowing down to just below her shoulders. "Here, on this little island? You think you'll find him here?" She leaned back in the wooden chair, crossing her legs. "Nala, you're my best friend, but I sincerely --"

"-- doubt I'll find anyone here" the other girl, named Nala, sighed, obviously tired of the saying. She placed the leather bag she was holding onto the table. "Please, ever since we started my search, you have been doubting me at every single stop!"

"_Your _search?"

"Yes, _my_ search." Nala said, tying up her black hair. "Sara, I'm looking for someone, your're looking for ANYone."

"Well, that is true," Sara said, flipping her wavy hair off her shoulder. "Hey, that reminds me. Are you going to think of a new name yet?"

Nala rested her elbow on the table, her chin on her palm. "Naw, I've grown fond of Nala. Maybe tomorrow." She stared at the limited people at the tables, thinking of different combinations of letters for tomorrow. "When I find him, what should my name be?" she asked, absentmindedly.

Sara sighed. "I don't know, maybe you're REAL name?"

"No, I won't, I told you that when we _started _the search!"

"Fine. How about something starting with the first letter of his name? I think thats a great-- hey, who are you staring at?"

Nala widened her eyes suddenly at the table with four people. They were all different, but having the greatest time, talking and laughing. But Nala was not interested in all of them, just one. "It's him," she whispered. "It's Ronny."

"What?" Sara-Hya whispered back, whipping her head around. "You're right! But I've seen him before. Sword-fighter _galore._ But he's going by his real name now."

Nala shot a look at Sara. "How do you know?"

"I've seen him before, in a picture or something."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because then this would happen!" Sara looked around, noticing how loud they were getting. She went back to a whisper, and repeated what she said earlier. "Just trust me, he's going by his real name. Besides," she added with a smile, "That blonde man is _so_ for me!" She giggled.

Nala ignored Sara, and continued staring at her long-lost friend sitting with the others. "I found you, Ronny," she thought. "I finally found you...Roronora Zoro."


	2. Fight Gone Wrong

**Chapter Two: Fight Gone Wrong.**

"Hey, Zoro?"

Everyone at the table looked up at the girl. Her silk black hair was tied into a high, sideways ponytail. She had a tight purple t-shirt, a black leather bag draped over her shoulder, and her hands stuck in her shorts' pockets. "You _are_ Zoro, right?"

Zoro looked up, a piece of lettuce sticking halfway out of his mouth. He quickly swallowed it up and answered. "Yeah. And you?"

The girl smiled. "I'm Na--" she caught herself. "--Zaley, I'm Zaley. Um, I came over to ask you, if..." she quickly turned her head to look at the blondie in the corner. After Sara gave a reassuring thumbs up, she turned back around.

"If...?" Zoro asked. Luffy, who had finally joined the table, was getting interested. Had he seen her somewhere before? And looking at the faces around the table, he guessed everyone else was thinking the same thing. Nami had even placed her map on the table. Sanji, however, just had hearts in his eyes.

"If...if you wanted to fight me," Zaley finished quickly. "I heard you were a great swordsman, one of the greatest, and I haven't had a good fight in a long time." She smiled sheepishly and hoped with all her life he said yes.

Unfortunately, all he said was "Uhmm..."

Usopp and Nami both interrupted at the same time with the same words. "Don't I know you from somewhere?" They all stared into her eyes, their brains whirring to find where they had seen that face, that oh-so familiar face.

Zaley simply smiled. "If you keep up with the news, then yes."

Zoro was thinking about her offer. He was also itching for a profitable fight. The battle with the 'sea bandits' didn't last for long. He gave in. "Whatever. Meet me outside, alright? I'll be ready for you."

Zaley nodded, satisfied. She turned around and was about to leave when Sanji leaped out of his chair and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, _darling, _why don't we forget about the fight, and have a drink somewhere else, you and I?"

She blushed, and plucked his hands off her. "Thanks, but I'm not forgetting about this fight. Maybe later?" And with that, Zaley turned around and left the bar. Sanji practically fainted into his seat again.

Once again, exasperated sighs filled the table, and Nami returned to her map.

Luffy piped up. "Did anyone see her leg?"

"What?" said Nami. "Sorry, I don't think anyone was looking at her_ leg_."

"I'm serious!" he shouted. "Her leg was all deranged and weird."

"Shut up! You're so immature!"

"I am not! You shut up!"

And like always, that conversation went on and on.

*****

After Zoro finished his meal, he went outside, as promised, to meet Zaley. He found her massaging her hands, her long hair loose. "Oh," she said, suprised. "that took shorter than I expected."

Zoro chuckled. "Let's start, then," he said, tying his headband around his forehead, "before time runs out." He placed his hand on the white handle of his sword, but he paused when he noticed her leg.

_"Im serious!" Luffy shouted. "Her leg was all deranged and weird."_

Zoro had to ask. "What happened to your leg?"

Zaley looked down at her bumpy, deformed leg, and blushed again. "It's a long story. I don't want to go into that."

Zoro shrugged and placed his sword in between his teeth. "Not my business. What are you going to fight with, then?"

He was suprised to see her smile "Well, haven't you seen me before?" She said through a chuckle. Zaley's attitude did a complete switch. Her tone was bragging and her sideways smile was teasing. She raised her hands over her head. "Maybe not as Zaley, of course, but just maybe as..." she flung her hands forward. "Chopper-Girl?"

Zoro gasped and his eyes went wide. "Wha...?"

Shooting out of Zaley's fingertips came knives. All ten fingers held a different knife, some wide, some long and swordlike, like extensions to her nails. They looked like they were hidden inside her body, poking through her skin. She did have many spots on her arms and palms, and there were many scars under her nails from where the blood-covered daggers cut through skin many, many times.

_That's_ _where they all saw her before! _Zoro thought. _Her face is in the wanted posters. She's a heck of a fighter! _If looks could kill, Zoro would be quite the dead man.

"Now, now, just because half the world wants me dead doesn't mean this fight is becoming any more serious, right?" She laughed, and wiggled her fingers, the blades glinting in the sunlight. "It's still a fight for games, nothing more, alright?"

Zoro closed his gaping mouth, and his face returned to normal. "Right," he reassured her. "A fight for games. Now let's get this started."

He ran towards her, using his special starting technique. But he made sure it wouldn't be the final blow. It was a game, after all.

Zaley ducked under Zoro's first move and and attempted to trip him, but that didn't work. He jumped over her arm and threw his swords at her, only to be blocked by four long, pointy daggers

They both were perfect matches down to each striking hit, each perfect jump and dodge. Zoro never gave up, and neither did Zaley. For such a crippled leg, her moves were swift and easy, as if her legs were better than normal. A crowd slowly formed around them after several hits had been swapped, but still, neither side gave up.

"Not gonna stop, Zoro?" teased Zaley, crouched on her legs, ready for more.

"Not until you're lying on the ground!" he shouted, lunging ahead, ignoring the pain from her hits.

"But I_ will _still be breathing, right?"

Zoro flinched. Zaley took that as an advantage, and jumped in the air to slash him on the back. "You're nothing special, Zoro!" she lied. Zaley was loving this fight, and so was Zoro, but she made it sound boring so he would get up and fight. "You ain't nothing but an average _Johnny Ronny_!"

Zoro's eyes widened. "What...what did you say?" He sounded disgusted, angry. She touched a nerve. A nerve she shouldn't have touched. That line, that last word, brought back memories.

_"What..is it?" she asked, eying the hand-crafted box smaller than his palm. The willow tree's branches surrounded them in blossoms and leaves. The grass was green, and the sun was just starting to set over the horizon. It was perfect. He went down on one knee, and opened the box. "I love you. Will you marry me?" She gasped. She looked into his eyes, tears welling up. She shook her head, and said through sobs, "I can't, I can't!" _

_The next day she left forever._

Zoro stood up, weakened from that last blow. Anyone who knew an angry face could tell Zoro was too angry for words. He turned around, breathing heavily. Zaley simply smiled. He was finally getting up; this was exactly what she wanted.

"Don't...you dare...say that AGAIN!" He shouted, going for a killing blow. Zaley gasped and jumped over his head, but she didn't jump high enough, and his blade caught her deformed leg.

"Aaaugghh!" She screamed as she dove into the ground, shoulder first. Blood poured from it, through her clamped hands, Zaley screaming to the high heavens. Zoro, still overcome with anger, took her weak state as his advantage. "I AM ZORO!" he yelled, as he went for his killing blow to her chest.

Zoro's aim never missed, and it didn't fail him now. Zaley gasped, then her body went limp.

_"But I _will_ still be breathing, right?"_


	3. Realization

**sorry this took so long, school is giving me pains. plus it was my sisters birthday, and were dragging it on the whole week, so im sorry, and please enjoy!**

**Chapter 3: Realization**

Zoro's heavy breath was the only sound heard for those couple seconds. The crowds breath was held in, their eyes red. Their thought said the same thing. Over and over.

_"Is she dead? Did he kill that girl? Is this for real?"_

Zoro's eyes remained slanted, evil, looking apon Zaleys pitiful body, lying there draped in her own blood. After what seemed like an hour, it finally hit him. He realized what he had done, who's blood draped his swords, who's body layed before him. he dropped his swords, all three, and then fell to his knees. Tears streamed down his cheeks, one after another.

"I..I failed you" He whispered, through sobs. "I failed you...A--"

He was about to mention a name, when the bar doors slammed open, and out came Sara, crying like a mad man.

"You...you damn bastard!" she shouted, her tears only swelling up as she talked. "She was my best friend, and you just...you just killed her! All because you can't play to a stupid GAME!" She stayed standing at the doorway, all eyes on her. Zoro eyes, though, stays were there are, soaking up the mess he has created. Sara didn't let that happen for too long, though. She ran over and shoved Zoro away, taking his place kneeling over her.

And as Sara picked Zaley's broken body up and ran away, Zoro simply layed there, eyes closed, as if dead. The wide-eyed crowed dissolved away, leaving him alone. The sun was setting over the horizon, and the roads around the island slowly became deserted. The memory of Zaley's death and the memory of long ago kept replaying, over and over, and it wouldn't go away. Finally, out of depression and tiredness, he slowly drifted into sleep.

Sara plunged herself into a house far from the scene of the crime. Her tears fell of her face and mixed with the blood on the body. She placed Zaley's cold self onto a table and wiped her tears. It was over.

She slowly inched her head closer to Zaley's ear, and so no-one could hear, she whispered to her one single line.

"You can get up now, show's over."

*******

The sun shone through the glass of the window, hitting the face of the sleeping man. The bright shine woke him up, squinting, trying to find a way up. He stumpled across the room to close the curtains, and return to his sleep. But before he climbed onto his comfy bed, he took a look around his room. This is _not_ where he fell asleep. He saw a green bandanna on the bedside table, and three different swords on the table opposite the bed, underneath a yellow straw hat.

"Huh." Zoro huffed. He must have missed a lot while he slept. He smiled. "Wonder where the rest of the gang is."

As if on cue, he heard someone knocking on his door. Zoro walked over to the wooden door, clutching his wound on his side. He was not suprised to see Usopp and Luffy.

"Ooh, there it is!" Lufy exclaimed, as he bounded towards his special hat. Usopp walked in after him.

"So what happened? After the fight." He added. He, unfortunalty, remembered the fight, and then the _other _stupid memory. He shook them out of his head while listening to Usopp explain.

"Well, someone ran in to call for help, so we ran outside and saw you sleeping, but at the time we thought you passed out! So it took a lot of effort, but we carried you to this nearby Inn, and we stayed the night." He pointed behind him, to a door across the hall. "Thats where Luffy and I are, and Nami's next to us, but she and Sanji are eating downstairs."

Zoro looked around. He saw a used bed with a black jacket dropped on it. "Im guessing lover boy's sleeping here." He teased. The quick smile faded away when he looked out the window through the half-way closed curtain. He remembered.

_"You're nothing special. Your just an average Johnny Ronny!"_

Zoro sat on the bed, wondering what made him so mad. What could've possibly made him go so far as to kill? Oh right...it was that name. Ronny...

Once again, he was reduced to tears. Usopp noticed, and had to but in. "Hey, Zoro, what's going on?"

Zoro just wanted to be killed rather than explain. "You don't understand," he choked. "I made a promise I intend to keep."

_"Hi-ya!" He shouted, as his bamboo rod hit a tree branch and broke it in half. The girl watching him laughed. "Wow, you're so strong! I told you that dojo would help!" The holder of the rod turned to face her and smiled. "Yeah, I guess if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have went up to the stupid dojo in the first place." The girl laughed again. "See if you can break that thicker branch!" He faced his opponent and started slapping his bamboo swords on the branch till it too broke. He dropped his rods and went to sit with his admirer. "You should join too!" The girl went wide-eyed. "No way, that other girl would hate me!" Just by mentioning her, his face went red. "I'm going to kill that girl! She can't beat me!" He jumped up and slammed his fists against the tree till they bled. The girl raced after him, telling him to stop. "You have to control your anger," she said sternly. "you won't be a worthy swordsman if you blow up over the slightest thing like that."_

_"I promise I won't." He said._

"Seems like you make a lot of promises nowadays." Luffy commented, as he sat on the bed used by Sanji, adjusting his hat. Zoro didn't respond.

Usopp caught on. "...Is this because of you killing that girl Zaley in the fight?" Zoro cringed.

Luffy looked confused. "Killed? Zoro didn't kill her, she's alright. I talked to her this morning!"

Zoro and Usopp looked up at the same time. "Wait, What?"

"That black haired girl? Zaley or something? Yeah, she's not dead, she's the livliest person I've ever met. She's--"

He didn't get to finish. Zoro was out the door, cursing to Luffy's name as he dashed down the stairs.

*******

"Yep, It's dry, can I take it off now?"

Zaley was sitting on a wooden table, with her shirt held up to show white goo dried and stuck to her stomach. She was poking at it while Sara meddled with the 'hot' and 'cold' taps in the sink. The place Sara went to last night wasn't very luxurious; It was more like a slave's hut. Everything was made from some kind of wood, from tables to beds. Painting done by what seemed like a mental patient was clinging to every inch of the ceiling, made from all colors of the rainbow.

"Just a minute," Sara sighed. "Let me see before you do anything." Sara, being a former nurse at a top-of-the-line medical care place, knew exactly how it should be done. And after every blow Zaley had gone through before Zoro, she should know by now, too.

Sara walked over and examined the white paste. After about a minute, she let her scrape it off. "I'll get some food ready, want to go vegetarian today, Nala?" She asked. "Or Zaley, whatever."

"Naw, I feel like meat off the bone." Zaley sighed, smiling. "And by the way, I think I'm going to stick to Zaley." She kept picking at the chunks of paste on her stomach, remembering those words.

_"I failed you..."_

"He remembered." She said, absent-mindedly.

"Who?" respnded Sara, in the middle of preparing Zaley's meat.

"Ronny. He remembered our promise." Zaley kept smiling, staring at a green painting above her.

"Oh yeah, I'm going to have to apologize to him once he finds out about you. I pushed him pretty hard" Sara stated.

Zaley laughed. "Thats going to be a long apology!"


End file.
